Childcare organizer formed as a decorative pillow

ABSTRACT

A childcare organizer having an interior cavity that can be selectively sectioned off by a shelving system that embodies a divider defined by a plurality of malleable slats is provided. The inner surfaces that define the interior cavity may have a first fastener, while the distal end of each divider slat has a corresponding second fastener, thereby connecting the ends of the slats to two or more inner surfaces defines one of almost innumerable permutations of where and how the slats are located and oriented, respectively, within the interior cavity. The interior cavity is accessible by way of a cover that is movable between an open condition and a closed condition. In the open condition, the cover acts as a ramp for a changing mat to unfurl down. The changing mat is storable in the interior cavity in a folded position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application No. 63/001,942, filed 30 Mar. 2020, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to childcare organizers and, more particularly, a childcare organizer formed as a decorative pillow. The decorative pillow unzips to reveal internal soft structures to organize and store items. The decorative pillow provides an unfolding diaper changing mat and room for baby related items. The pillow remains soft and usable depending on items stored inside, while hiding unsightly accoutrement of raising a baby, while allowing the user to have multiple inconspicuous changing stations throughout their residence.

In homes with babies there is often only one place to change the baby. In homes with multiple electronic devices, these devices' remotes are often lost or considered clutter in mixed company. Most portable changing stations are functionally designed and are unattractive or look out of place when left about in a residence. For instance, leaving a changing station that looks like a purse, backpack or travel item about the house is aesthetically displeasing and inconvenient as well as unhygienic as it has typically spent time on the floor/ground and/or used in restrooms.

As can be seen, there is a need for a childcare organizer formed as a decorative pillow, which is visually pleasing or at least appropriate inside a residence. By creating an inconspicuous and decorative item that remains usable as a pillow but can store a changing mat, diapers and wipes, enables a user to have a changing station anywhere in their residence. The present invention can be used to hide remotes or other small items that might be deemed unsightly. The pillow portion of the childcare organizer remains soft and pliable for use if needed with or without items inside. The novel childcare organizer may provide soft shelving that is moveable (like a photography case) so that a plurality of item types can be stored inside.

Normal pillows are decorative and useful for only padding for a body part. The pillow embodied in the present invention remains decorative and soft while also storing items needed to change a baby, eliminating the need to leave the room or have loose changing items around the house. Moreover, having a home furnishing that is inconspicuous and fits your decor eliminates unsightly messes and provides the convenience of keeping items within arm's reach and always in the same location. Furthermore, keeping one item for storing raising-baby items in the home and hiding it in plain sight means there is less of a need to tote it back and forth between the places in the residence where it is used and the placed it would otherwise be stored.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a childcare organizer includes the following: an interior cavity defined by a plurality of interior walls; a first portion of a detachable fastener along an inner surface of the plurality of interior walls; a divider comprising a plurality of divider slats, wherein each divider slat is movable relative to every other divider slat; and a second portion of the detachable fastener disposed along a distal end of each of the divider slats, whereby the divider can define the interior cavity into one of a plurality of sections through selectively moving one or more of the distal ends against the inner surface, wherein the distal end may consist of a distal face transverse to a longitudinal portion of each divider slat.

In another aspect of the present invention, the childcare organizer includes the following: an interior cavity defined by a plurality of interior walls; an opening that communicates an exterior environment to the interior cavity; a cover movable between an open condition and a closed condition closing off the opening; and a mat foldable between a folded position and an unfolded position, wherein the unfolded position the mat detachably attaches to an upper portion of the cover and unfurls down the cover; and further including a plurality of connectors along upper and lower surfaces of the mat, wherein the plurality of connectors forms a locked engagement of the folded position; a plurality of operatively associable mat-cover detachable attachments along one of said surfaces of the mat and the upper portion of the cover, wherein the mat is dimensioned to unfurl in the unfolded position beyond the cover by at least two feet and along a supporting surface of the childcare organizer.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with a cover 14 in a closed condition;

FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, with the cover 14 in an open condition;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, take along line 4-4 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a detailed section view of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a detachable changing mat in the unfolded position;

FIG. 7 is an exploded side view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, showing the detachable changing mat in a folded position, wherein the changing mat may be removably attached to the cover 14 by way of mat-cover detachable attachments; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention with an interior having just a mesh pocket 36, while illustrating the detachable changing mat in the unfolded position and in use supporting a baby 38.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a childcare organizer having an interior cavity that can be selectively sectioned off by a shelving system that embodies a divider defined by a plurality of malleable slats. The inner surfaces that define the interior cavity may have a first fastener, while the distal end of each divider slat has a corresponding second fastener, thereby connecting the ends of the slats to two or more inner surfaces defines one of almost innumerable permutations of where and how the slats are located and oriented, respectively, within the interior. The interior cavity is accessible by way of a cover that is movable between an open condition and a closed condition. In the open condition, the cover acts as a ramp for a changing mat to unfurl down. The changing mat is storable in the interior cavity in a folded position.

It should be understood by those skilled in the art that the use of directional terms such as outward (exterior), inward (interior), upward (upper), downward (down), and the like are used in relation to the illustrative embodiments as they are depicted in the figures: for instance, the outward direction being toward the peripheries or margins of FIG. 8, the inward direction being toward the reference numeral 27 in FIG. 8, the upward (upper) direction being toward the top margin of FIG. 8, and the downward direction begin toward the lower right corner of FIG. 8.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 through 8, the present invention may include a childcare organizer 10 having an outer pillow shell 12 defining an interior 18 or cavity for storing items. An opening communicates the external environment with the interior 18. A detachable fastener 16 (such as a zipper) attaches a cover 14 to the opening and enabling the cover 14 to move between a closed condition to an open condition, allow access to the interior 18. The outer pillow shell 12 may be thought of as the external structure and may be decorative in design.

The interior 18 may be defined by interior walls 25. Between the interior walls 25 and the outer shell 12 may be cushioning or batting 26. On or more of the interior walls 25 in their inward facing surface, a first portion 24 a of a detachable fastener 24 may be provided. For example, a hook portion 24 a or a loop portion 24 b of the hook and loop fastener 24 may line the inside of one or more of the interior walls 25. The interior walls 25 may include foam support structure 28 attached to or laminated with a durable fabric or material 30.

The exterior walls of the outer shell 12 may also have the foam support structure 28 and attached durable material 30, wherein the durable material 30 is outward facing along the exterior walls, while the durable material 30 is inward facing for the interior walls 25, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

The present invention may provide soft divider slats 20 that are dimensioned and adapted to divide the interior 18 into a plurality of walled-off sections, wherein each section can retain a different item 22 b. The dividers slats 20 may be dimensioned and adapted to end at an interior wall 25. Furthermore, each distal end 21 of each divider slat 20 may have the second portion 24 b of the detachable fastener 24, whereby the second portion 24 b engages and attaches to the first portion 24 a along an interior wall 25. In other words, the interior 18 may, through the divider slats 20 being selectively attached to the inner surface of the interior walls 25, provide one of a plurality of permutations and arrangement of adjustable box compartments/sections. The removable fasteners 24 b allow repositioning of the divider slats 20. In certain embodiments, the distal end 21 consists of a distal face 31 transverse to a longitudinal portion of each divider slat. The longitudinal portion is defined between lines 33A and 33B as shown in FIG. 3.

Furthermore, the internal structure described above affords a soft framework capable of maintaining its shape so as to provide the inner storage cavity, lined with soft sides and a shelving system that is adjustable as to where it attaches against the interior walls of the interior 18 to accommodate varying items.

One of these items stored in a section of the interior cavity may be a re-usable washable detachable foldable changing mat 22 a that moves between a folded and an unfolded, operable position, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8. The changing mat 22 a may be movable between an unfolded condition and a folded condition, as illustrated in FIG. 7. In the folded condition, the changing mat 22 a may be folded into thirds or the like, in order to fit into the section defined by the divider slats 20. The changing mat 22 a may have connectors 34 a and 34 b along its upper and lower surfaces to secure the changing mat 22 a to itself in the folded condition. In the unfolded condition, the changing mat 22 a may connect to the cover 14, by way of the connectors 34 a and/or 34 b so that the changing mat 22 a unfurls outside of the interior 18, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8, whereby the cover 14 provides a ramp-like support so the changing mat 22 b slowly transitions from the opening, upward of a supporting surface supporting the childcare organizer 10, to the lower supporting surface.

The changing mat 22 a may be positioned in a locked engagement in the folded condition, by way of the connectors 34 a and 34 b as illustrated in FIG. 7. The locked engagement may secure the changing mat 22 a in thirds or other fractions.

A method of making the present invention may include the following. A manufacture may create an outer shell from fabric, decorative and structural to provide longevity. Then the manufacture may create the soft internal structure, in certain embodiments by sewing one side of the outer structure and inner structure together then filling the space between the two with an appropriate filling, batting, or cushioning to provide a pillow type feel. The two outer/inner combinations may then be sewn on one side and zippered together on three sides to allow the childcare organizer 10 to open like a “clam shell” exposing the internal structure/cavity and changing mat. It should be noted that the childcare organizer 10 opening and overall configuration is not limited to a “clamshell” style, as there are multiple embodiments and some may simply use the zipper or snaps to open a “door” style where the internal structure is concealed by the changing mat. The overall design is a single piece with a thin cover (fabric and changing mat) over the internal storage cavity versus both sides being equal in size and opening in a clamshell style. The internal changing mat may be removed/attached with snaps or a zipper.

The soft shelving system and internal structure may be made from a semi-rigid and soft material that rebounds to its original shape if smashed, it may be covered in a durable hypoallergenic fabric, or the like. The outer edges of the internal cavity may have the soft side of hook pile tape to allow the shelves to be removed and reattached in different configurations while the shelves may have the hard side of the hook pile tape to allow it to adhere to the internal structure.

The shelving system embodies the dividers comprising of a plurality of soft slats that are movable relative to each other, thereby the internal cavity can be ‘carved’ up into different shaped sections by the divider slats. For instance, the slats of the divider be moved around to store any kind of item that fits within the outer pillow 20. The childcare organizer 10 ability to store items is only limited to size and safety. Soft padding surrounding internal storage and the items stored inside, keep the outer ‘pillow’ of the childcare organizer 10 comfortable if it is needed to be used as a pillow. All items can be removed and the outer pillow can be used as a normal pillow as well.

The inner surface of the interior walls 25 may provide one or more pockets 36, as illustrated in FIG. 8, for storing more items 22 b along the sidewalls, as opposed to throughout the interior cavity 18. Thus, in one embodiment, the childcare organizer 10 the interior cavity can be essentially empty but for pockets 36. In one embodiment, there is only one pocket 36. Even though FIG. 8 shows the pocket 36 along a bottom portion of the cavity 18, the one pocket 36 can be of the along the vertically oriented interior wall 27 that the cover 14 is associated to in the open condition, (and that the detachable changing mat is associated with in the unfolded position).

A method of using the present invention may include the following. A user would consolidate items such as diapers, wipes, powder and place them inside the interior 18 of the childcare organizer 10. Any additional items or odd-shaped items could be accommodated by moving the modular soft shelving system/divider 20 slats relative to each other. This cleans up the typical mess of having these items laying around and solves the issue of having a diaper bag that is taken into restrooms on one's couch/bed where they reside. A person can use it to hide any number of normally informal items normally necessary but unsightly in places such as bedrooms, livings rooms, on sofas, couches, recliners or any place a pillow may be suitable. This eliminates the need for a single dedicated changing location and allows the person to change the baby on the couch without leaving the room or undergoing special preparation steps.

Additionally, if the user wished to store any item which is small enough to fit inside the “pillow” and place the pillow any place they wish, they can do so. Home, office, waiting areas, recliners, bedrooms, etc., or anywhere it can fit, the childcare organizer 10 is a welcome decoration as opposed to an unsightly reminder of diaper changing or items which suggest clutter and disorganization.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A childcare organizer comprising: an interior cavity defined by a plurality of interior walls; a first portion of a detachable fastener along an inner surface of the plurality of interior walls; a divider comprising a plurality of divider slats, wherein each divider slat is movable relative to every other divider slat; and a second portion of the detachable fastener disposed along a distal end of each of the divider slats, whereby the divider can divide the interior cavity into one of a plurality of sections through selectively moving one or more of the distal ends against the inner surface.
 2. The childcare organizer of claim 1, wherein the distal end consists of a distal face transverse to a longitudinal portion of each divider slat.
 3. A childcare organizer comprising: an interior cavity defined by a plurality of interior walls; an opening that communicates an exterior environment to the interior cavity; a cover movable between an open condition and a closed condition closing off the opening; and a mat foldable between a folded position and an unfolded position, wherein the unfolded position the mat detachably attaches to an upper portion of the cover and unfurls down the cover.
 4. The childcare organizer of claim 3, further comprising a plurality of connectors along upper and lower surfaces of the mat, wherein the plurality of connectors forms a locked engagement of the folded position.
 5. The childcare organizer of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of operatively associable mat-cover detachable attachments along one of said surfaces of the mat and the upper portion of the cover.
 6. The childcare organizer of claim 5, wherein the mat is dimensioned to unfurl in the unfolded position beyond the cover by at least two feet and along a supporting surface of the childcare organizer.
 7. The childcare organizer of claim 6, further comprising: a first portion of a detachable fastener along an inner surface of the plurality of interior walls; a divider comprising a plurality of divider slats, wherein each divider slat is movable relative to every other divider slat; and a second portion of the detachable fastener disposed along a distal end of each of the divider slats, whereby the divider can divide the interior cavity into one of a plurality of sections through selectively moving one or more of the distal ends against the inner surface.
 8. The childcare organizer of claim 7, wherein the distal end consists of a distal face transverse to a longitudinal portion of each divider slat. 